50 Things To Do Before You Turn 30

We all have things we want to do before we get old and have no life left to live. I’m sure peoples' lists involve stuff like ‘travel to Paris or Tokyo” so I won’t include them on this list. Most people aren’t Oprah-rich and can’t spend every day jetsetting to complete their bucket lists, but I couldn’t resist including a couple of things that might require a lottery win.

1. Go on a road trip

Preferably without getting murdered. Stay away from abandoned buildings and don’t take advice from crusty old men at gas stations.

2. Visit all seven continents

Yes, even Antarctica. There are plenty of cruises that go down there now, and it only costs tens of thousands of dollars! And possibly your soul. It depends on which cruise company you go with. You also run the risk of getting stranded, which often happens. Fun, right?!

3. Live in a different country

Travelling is one thing, but actually moving to a different country is a whole other thing. For bonus Life Points, get involved in a green card marriage, just for the story.

4. Sleep under the stars

This can be one of the most rewarding, beautiful and introspective experiences of your life…unless you’re doing it because you maxed out 5 credit cards and no longer have an apartment.

5. Watch all those damn movies everyone keeps talking about

You know the ones I mean. Most of them grace the IMDBs Top 100 Films list.

6. Read all those damn books everyone keeps talking about

See above, but replace ‘movies’ with ‘books’ and ‘IMDB’ with ‘BBC.’

7. Make something from scratch

One of the best feelings in the world is making something by yourself, as opposed to just buying it. It can be anything from satay to a piece of furniture.

8. Conquer a fear

Don’t spend your whole life letting fear hold you back! Try conquering some, or at least one, of your fears. Just don’t go jumping off any buildings if you hate heights, I don’t think that will work.

9. Learn a foreign language

Learning another language is incredibly rewarding, plus it gives you an excuse to travel! Just don’t be like those Amazing Race contestants who yell “rapido” at cab drivers in Asia.

10. Donate your hair to cancer

You can raise big bucks by shaving your head for cancer, particularly if you’re a lady. It’s also a great opportunity to flip the bird at traditional conventions of beauty and expectations of women.

11. Disconnect for a week

No phone. No internet. No TV. Nothing.

Free yourself from the burden of modern technology. Sure, you may want to blow your brains out at first, but you’ll discover some amazing things you may not have otherwise. Plus, you’ll learn a lot more about yourself. If you think the temptation of screens will be too great, remove yourself from them. Spend the entire time camping or hiking.

12. Go to a major sporting event

I’m admittedly not the biggest sports fan, but even I can’t deny the sheer power of an excited sports crowd. The atmosphere is unmatched. Worst case scenario, you have a few drinks and yell out the wrong sports terms or team names for fun.

13. Take part in a city running event

Not only does this give you the chance to get in shape, but you also get to accomplish something big with the rest of your city. Plus you’ll get to see people wear some pretty hilarious costumes.

14. Volunteer at a soup kitchen

And I don’t just mean at Thanksgiving or Christmas when everyone else is doing it too. Take the time to really help people in need.

15. Host Christmas

Because who doesn’t love stress and cleaning up after people? Seriously though, this earns you some major Adult Points and you can always make it more fun by implementing Inappropriate Secret Santa. This is where everyone has to buy a terrible present on the cheap and then engage in Yankee Swap.

16. Adopt a rescue pet

No joking around on this one; there are so many animals out there who need love.

17. Eat something you wouldn’t usually

This could be anything from a vegetable you don’t like to chowing down on some insects in South East Asia. The worst that can happen is that you get a little grossed out. Who cares? Live a little.

18. Learn a new skill

You can always teach an old dog new tricks. If you’ve always wanted to learn piano, knitting or anything else, go and do it! Even if it’s learning traditional German dance in lederhosen, there’s no judgement here.

19. Get a ‘regrettable make out’ story.

Sure you may regret it at the time, but making out with someone that you’ll regret later makes for great stories in the future. Sure, drunkly kissing a guy at a Halloween party who has half a front tooth missing and is ten years older than you may seem like a bad idea, but eventually it will become a hilarious anecdote. Especially when you find out that he spent time in a mental institution. Disclaimer: that is just an example and definitely didn’t happen to me…

20. Sleepover somewhere haunted

Because who doesn’t want their lives to turn into Paranormal Activity?

21. Stay awake for 24 hours

It’s worth it just to see things get weird and emotional.

22. Attend a cop-raided party

Bonus points if you’re too old to be at a cop-raided party.

23. Get arrested

I’m not advocating serious crimes or anything, so put the knife down. It could, however, be kind of funny to get arrested for a minor and embarrassing offense that you’ll have to talk about at parties for the rest of your life.

24. Climb a mountain

I’m not saying you need to rock up to the Everest Base Camp or anything, but climbing a real life mountain (even a small one) is a huge accomplishment. Bonus points if you perform a full rendition of ‘Climb Every Mountain’ once you get to the top.

25. Swim in the ocean

This may not sound particularly impressive, but not everyone has had the opportunity! There’s nothing quite like bobbing up and down in the ocean on a hot summer day. Just stay away from Amity Island.

26. Sleep on the beach

Nothing says ‘colonization’ quite like sleeping on the beach. Bad historical jokes aside, camping by the sea is a liberating feeling, as is watching the sun rise over it as you have breakfast. You should, however, be prepared to get sand in every crack. Just make peace with it.

27. Pilot an aircraft

Take control of the skies! The good news is that you can achieve this even through a single flying lesson. You can even find coupons online!

28. Bury a time capsule…and open it!

Not only is this a cool idea in general, it’s a fantastic opportunity to reflect and to see how much your life has changed since you buried it. Hopefully not for the worse. Leaving a time capsule for random people in the future is also a good idea.

29. Take a cocktail making course

Not only are cocktail making courses fun, they’ll make you the life of every party from here to eternity! Plus, there’s no life skill more important than knowing how to make a decent martini.

30. Host a cocktail party

Who doesn’t love a lovely, classy cocktail party? Pro-tip: take photos throughout the night as people get progressively messier.

31. Skinny dip

What feels more freeing than an old-fashioned naked swim? I’d recommend a place with flowing water, like an ocean or lake. Less risk of venereal disease.

32. Grow your own

No, not the illegal kind of growing! Because my spirit animal is a 60-year-old woman, I love gardening. Nothing tastes more fresh and delicious than eating something you’ve grown yourself. Even if you don’t have much room or time, try growing some low-maintenance herbs. I can’t recommend this enough as a life goal. For a bonus challenge, try growing all of your vegetables yourself.

33. Have a ‘Ferris Bueller’ day

If you don’t know what I’m talking about I’m afraid we can’t be friends. For those who do, welcome! We all deserve a day to kick back and do whatever we want, so make the time and do it. By the way, it only counts if you blow off work or some other kind of important commitment.

34. Go to an expensive ‘open house’

It’ll be both fun and depressing!

35. Research your family tree

Family and history are important, and definitely worthy of looking into. Plus, you may find some long lost rich uncle who you can scam money from.

36. Leave a note for a stranger

Brighten someone’s day by writing a nice, uplifting note and leaving it somewhere random. It doesn’t matter who finds it, or that there’s a chance that they’ll be weirded out. It’s a good exercise in doing things for people, even if you don’t know who they are and never see their reaction.

37. Give blood

Because why not? And there are snacks.

38. Google yourself

I was joking. Don’t ever do that. Promise me.

39. Ride in a limo

Even better if it’s one of those old ones from the 70s that looks worse than your regular car.

40. Watch all of the James Bond films

Seeing that this is a franchise that’s been around for over 50 years, attention must be paid. Plus, they’re so kitschy and fun. If Bond isn’t really your thing, you can at least marvel at the sheer sexism and turn it into a drinking game. It’s also fun to think about how much of train wreck 007 would be if he were a real person.

41. Try a sensory deprivation tank

I once had this experience described to me as “meditation on crack” so it’s gotta be good, right? Depriving your brain of external stimulation can make it do some weird and really cool things, including hallucinations. Some people even use it in order to rest because the brain can react in a way that similar to a sleeping state and thus they don’t need as much actual sleep. At the very least it offers a cool vehicle for relaxation and introspection.

42. Give your lunch to a homeless person

Because sometimes we forget how little some people have. It’s everyone’s responsibility to help their fellow man.

43. Get in a mud fight

Fun, messy and good for your skin! Get back in tune with your inner child. Ladies, if the men folk start ogling then it’s turned into a different thing and it’s time to stop.

44. Protest something

Whether it’s encouraging nations to boycott the Russian Winter Games or maintaining that Firefly needs to return to television, protesting or fighting for something you truly care about is an amazing feeling.

45. Karaoke

I don’t even have to explain this one, because karaoke is awesome. Especially bad karaoke. Unless Gwyneth Paltrow is involved. Make sure you have a signature song too. Mine is ‘I Touch Myself’ by the Divinyls, because making people feel awkward is funny.

46. Get your fortune read

Just for the lols. Better yet, get your biscuits read. I’m not even close to joking about that being real.

47. Swim under a waterfall

What a way to feel alive! Also, if Tomb Raider has taught me anything, there could be some treasure or a med pack behind there.

48. Go on an aimless drive

Jumping in the car with no destination in mind can be liberating and a damn fun adventure. Just don’t talk to anyone that says you have a “purdy mouth.”

49. Go stargazing

A night of stargazing is the perfect way to put life into perspective, and feel super insignificant. If you’re lucky, you may spot an alien and get probed.

50. Follow a dream

Whether it’s big or small, you should definitely try to achieve at least one of your dreams before kicking the figurative bucket. Visit somewhere you’ve always wanted to go. Go after your perfect job. Write an inappropriate children’s book. Eat twenty hotdogs in on sitting. Don’t leave room for regret.